David’s Regional Kingdom

May 10, 2012 at 01:32:39 PM

The legacy of King David got a big boost this week when archaeologists announced the discovery of a fortified Jewish city from the time of David 3,000 years ago.

The site, Khirbet Qeiyafa, lies about 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem, adjacent to the Valley of Ella where the Jews encamped when David slew Goliath. Archaeologists discovered the remains of 99 dwellings in this fortified city whose walls once stood 20 feet high.

Archaeologists are certain this was a Jewish city, given that the people who lived there obeyed the Torah prohibitions against eating pig and making graven images. Diggers found none of the idolatrous figurines common at other sites, and ― though the site contains thousands of bones of sheep, goats and cattle ― there are no pig bones, suggesting adherence to kosher regulations.

Professor Yosef Garfinkel of Hebrew University, who led the excavation, explained that these findings stand as proof against those who claim that David was either a mythological figure or a small-time village leader. This Jewish city 20 miles from Jerusalem constitute the best proof yet of the existence of a regional Jewish monarchy during the time of David.

About this Blog

Shraga's Blog presents an eclectic mix of insights on current topics through the lens of Torah Judaism.
The author, Rabbi Shraga Simmons, holds a degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin, and
rabbinic ordination from the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. He is a senior editor of Aish.com. He was the founding
editor of HonestReporting.com and is the author of a new book,
David & Goliath: The Explosive Inside Story of Media Bias in
the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (2012).